Freedom
by TheUnitedStatesofAwesome
Summary: Marik runs into a mysterious outsider named Bakura that broke into the tomb. Marik helps him hide his loot, while Bakura helps him find freedom within his confinement. Bakura soon leaves him with nothing but a memory. Who knew that they would run into each other again, and become friends? Maybe more? Theifshipping, hope you enjoy!


Hi everyone! Haven't written in a while, then recently got into Yu-Gi-Oh! Theifshipping became my new favorite pairing so i had to write something for it! Young Marik is so cute! His innocence is so short lived... Hope you enjoy! none of these characters are mine, they belong to their amazing creators! It's written from Marik's point of view.

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I could never really tell what true freedom felt like. I was sheltered, you see. In all sense of the word. I wasn't aloud to do anything with anyone. Being my father's only son, young, and impressionable, my father never let me out of the tomb. So, when something came in, I was curious. I knew it had experienced the freedom I've longed so much for. I never knew it could actually show it so me.

I was sleeping peacefully in my bed, the egyptian cotton hugging my tiny young body as I dream of the outside world. I don't know much, but I know birds can fly freely, and boys my age are able to grow up to be what ever they please. My dreams are disrupted when I'm startlingly woken up to the sound of a vase breaking downstairs. My mind tells me my dad will be mad if I'm awake, but my eyes remain open. I know my dad will be mad if I leave my bed, and yet soon I'm heading to my door. My father would not want me leaving my room, but I open the door that sealed me in and leave, closing it quietly behind me. Something in my heart tells me that I need to find out what that was. The soft smell of the candle smoke surrounds me, and dances with the sounds of my bare feet, pitter-pattering down the cold stone steps. I keep a hand on the hieroglyphic covered wall for balance, my fingertips used to the feeling by now. It seems sinful now, washing a new feeling of excitement throughout me as I wander on toward the noises.

I come to the end of the stairs and peek into the main room of the tomb, where the entrance lies on the wall to the far left of me. Then, I see him. Illuminated by a torch as he rummages through a bag on the ground, I see his cotton colored hair, cascading down his back and shoulders. His skin, as pale as a ghost. I step back into the shadows of the stairs, hands gripping where the wall ends as I watch the man in wonder. What is he doing here? And what is in the bag? Is he missing something? He might be looking for a map. He has to be from the outside. Like a rare bird of freedom, able to choose his fate. If so, then why is he here in this stuffy palace, waiting for his creativity to be stolen?

I watch the man, starstruck by him. Then, I hear more commotion behind me. More men? No.

"Get him!" My father orders, yelling at guards in some distant hallway or room behind me. I have to help this pale man, or my father will get to him. I know that when my father is mad at me, nothing good can come of it. I decide to take action.

"Psssst!" I send over to him. The white hair moves to expose a face. I can't make out the features good in the lack of light, but I see his fiery yellowish brown eyes. They stare back into my violet eyes for a moment, taking in my sight. I can see he's worried, and he has every reason to.

"Daddy is coming! You have to hide!" I warn him. I leave the safety of my hallway and trot closer to him. "Let me help you." I offer, with a warm smile. This is the most excitement I've felt in a long time. The thrill of helping an outsider is simply too much.

"You see, kid, these are not mine." He finally replies, showing me the gold and jewels in his bag. "If they find me with these, I'll be killed. It's bad enough I'm even in here." He explains. I'm surprised, yet overjoyed that he trusts me.

"I'll hide them! Then, maybe your punishment won't be as bad!" I exclaim. He nods, expressionless, and tosses me the bag. I turn to run off, when I stop. I look over my shoulder at him one last time. "What's your name, outsider?"

"Bakura," He tells me, "Bakura the thief."

"I'm Marik!" I chirp back, the name not phasing me. "Master Marik!" Then, I run off to hide the stolen goods from my father. I hop back into my bed, and pretend to sleep in case my father comes in and checks on me. Pretty soon, I'm not acting anymore, and I am really sleeping.

I eat my bread for breakfast happily, sitting in the halls. I'm not allowed in the dinning room, nor am I allowed to ask for food, so they never know when I'm hungry. So, this morning when my dad handed me this and told me to get lost, I didn't hesitate. As I eat, I can't help but wonder why he wanted to get rid of me so quickly. He was talking to the guards about something important. I finish my food quickly because of my starvation, and am left with nothing but more curiosity. I can't help but wonder what happened to that beautiful man last night. I still have his loot, I need to give it back. In all the times down here, there hasn't been this much buzz since the pharaoh died! Even if my father punishes me, I want to know what he's talking about. This is way too interesting to not investigate.

Skipping down the hall to my father, I hear him shout, "People from the outside are not allowed to see the pharaoh's secrets! They're all along these walls! He didn't have a bag so all we can assume is that he what he wanted was knowledge, not gold!" He yells

"So, we have to kill him?" The guard asks him. I stop my skipping and walk, listening closely.

"It's not like we can do that, we can't prove him of the crime. All we know is the worst thing he did was break in. It was our faults for showing him deeper into the tombs, as well as the secrets on the walls."

"So because we jailed him in here we can't kill him?" A guard asks.

"Should have killed him on spot." Another guard adds. "Scum from the surface world should die, just for thinking they can enter the pharaoh's tomb."

At this point, I've had enough! How dare that talk about Bakura like that! If anything, he's more privileged than us! He has the power to chose to do what ever he wants, go anywhere, say anything, learn everything. They're talking about killing him, that free creature, just because he wanted to use that power?

"That big beautiful bird is _not_ scum!" I shout, running into the dinning room where my father talks. Never being in here before, I trip on a step leading inside and fall flat on my face. I yipe in pain. The guards exchange looks of disgust at my disrespectful entrance. My own father scoffs at my pitiful form on the floor in a painful pile. He walks over to me, and out stretches his hand. Any other father would help their clumsy son up, check to see if hes ok, or even encourage him to stand again. He might not even help at all, but that's better than my father. A loud pop fills the room, as his hand meets my cheek. Angered, he sighs and grabs my hair. He pulls me up forcefully by my golden strands and throws me out of the room.

"I told you! You are not allowed into this room, you understand?" He scolds. I sniffle, and choke out a simple "Yes." as my reply. I tenderly rub my cheek with one hand, and place my other hand on the wall to support my attempts to stand again. I rest there against the wall to eavesdrop as the meeting continues.

"I guess the best thing to do, is to have him work with us under here. He won't get any privileges like the official tomb keepers do. Well, just like my son I suppose." He tells the guards, sloughing off my beating as if it was nothing. I suppose it is... These bruises don't appear for no reason on someone as sheltered as me. I don't want him to end up like me. Becoming like me seems like the worst punishment in the world. He will never get the freedom he deserves ever again. I sniffle once more, trapped sadness welling up in my eyes, begging to be released in the form of tears, streaming down my face in the darkness.

I retreat to my room, the only safe place I know to cry out my fears. Sitting under the single torch that lights my room in a little papyrus chair. The shadows of my body shudder under the flames with my sobs. After I calm down, I notice my shadows. I wipe my tears away with my arm, and begin making shapes with my hands, playing with the shadows. Holding two fingers up, I find I can make a shape that looks like a bunny rabbit. I make it hop, giggling. Maybe, just maybe, this means I'm not alone anymore. I have this rabbit to play with, and it will come when ever I want it. This seems like a blessing, because my father won't even give me any toys to play with. I cross my legs in the chair, watching my new friend play and dance. Suddenly, I don't feel as bad. But the bunny is just like me: alone in its shadow world. Then, not the shadow of my bunny, but my own shadow is covered by a bigger one. Suddenly, my bunny isn't alone, and a shadow bird swoops in behind it. I gasp, and look up to see the creator of the beautiful figure.

"Big beautiful bird!" I exclaim, a smile on my face as I see the pale, white haired man behind me.

"Oh, I am not a bird young Marik," He tells me, "I am but a thief. As my punishment, I have to stay down here with you. You see, your father is a fool."

"He is? What did you do?"

"I did nothing but agree with his decision. How is being with a beautiful young master like you a punishment?" The bird of freedom tells me. I can't help but feel my cheeks get hot. I'm... beautiful? He likes being around me? A kind breed, this bird is, but I don't think he understands what's going on.

"But you'll have to stay down here forever! Birds are mean to fly!"

"I rather stay with the bunny, under the ground. Besides, what's so bad about living down here?"

"You can't go anywhere... Do anything... You're bored _all_ the time, and big sis won't even let you play with her makeup!"

"Sounds horrible!" He replies, sounding almost as upset as I do about it.

"Is its! I hate it!" I pout with a huff.

"Why? With all that time, you can do anything. You can go anywhere!"

"Really?" I ask with, a second of thought. "Where?" I look up at him with wonder. He puts his hands under my arms and lifts me up. He sits in the chair and puts me in his lap. I sit on his left thigh, legs turned in between in legs, perpendicular to his right leg. He puts his left arm around my shoulders, and holds me close. My head rests on his chest. He motions with his right hand out in front of me at the space around us. He leans his head down and whispers in my ear.

"You can imagine you're anywhere. Pick a place you've heard of."

"Um... England!" I say, enthusiastically. I start to believe that I'm actually gonna leave my room, right this second.

"Ok, now close your eyes." He instructs, his deep, calming, soothing voice leading me to trust him with all my heart. I close my eyes and wait eagerly. "You're in a field of flowers, all kinds of flowers. Yellow ones, pink ones,-"

"Purple ones!" I ask with excitement.

"Yes! Flowers of all colors. As you look out, you see a castle! It's roofs are pointed like the pyramids, but its sides are round."

"Wow! Are you sure I'm really there? I can't feel anything..." I begin to doubt this wonder. It's so vivid, so clear it can't be true!

"O-of course you're there! You just can't tell b-because... Because your... The horse you're riding isn't moving!" He tells me. I feel his hands grab my hips and shift me in his lap. Instead of sitting on his thigh, I'm straddling it. He starting bouncing me on his knee. "Can't you hear the whistle of the wind now?" He asks, and soon, I feel his hot breath on my neck as he tries to imitate sounds of the wind. I sigh, completely full of joy. Content with the fact that I have finally escaped. I'm free!

"This is perfect!" I squeal, giggling and smiling. My smile soon faded when I find that something is missing. "But, where are you, Bakura?"

"Marik the answer to this is simple," He replies. His leg stops bouncing and he wraps his arms around me, my back pressed tightly to his chest. I can't help but adore this warm feeling, being so new to it. "Well, I've been here the whole time. All you gotta do, is open your eyes, and you'll find I'm right here besides you. No matter what happens, I'll be here for you. Nothing can bring us apart."

I took those words, and believed in them. I believe in them up until the very day the bird took the loot I hid for him, and flew away.

Now, as I look upon Bakura's face, I can't help but think something about him is... Familiar. Sure, we have been working together for a while now, trying to take down the pharaoh, but I feel like I'm missing something. I go through my cards in our hotel room, getting ready to turn in for the night. Bakura sits across the table from me, a saddened expression poisoning his features. I'm sitting under a light, my shadows dancing on the table as I go through my deck, sorting them for my next battle. I can feel his eyes on me, it's irritating. I finally put down my cards, and face him.

"Look, I know my mid-drift is sexy but can you please stop staring? It's making me feel uncomfortable." I complain, leaning back in the chair.

"Doesn't this seem, familiar?" He asks me. I shrug and roll my eyes. "Open your eyes, Marik." He instructs me, but I don't understand.

"What? Are you expecting something different before I battle tomorrow?" I ask, my sour tone not changing. He shakes his head and stands. "What? W-where are you going?" My annoyed expression morphing into confusion as he walks behind me. In the light on the table, he makes the shadow of a bird. A stretch of silence runs throughout the room. I'm in shock, and I'm sure he's beginning to think I haven't figured it out. The simple gesture opened my eyes. He is _here._

"No matter what happens, I'll be here for you." Bakura whispers, dropping the bird and turning to leave. I take a deep breath,

"Nothing can bring us apart." I add. I hear his footsteps halt. I hesitate to stand up from my chair turning to him.

"So, you remembered?" He asks, looking at me over his shoulder. I smiled sadly at him.

"I needed a hint. How could I forget that big beautiful bird? I had everything, then it flew away."

"Your freedom?"

"No, someone who cared." I sniffle. Hearing this, he faces me. He reaches out his hand and strokes my cheek, feather soft, and kind.

"I still care. I've always cared, Marik. More than you could ever believe. When I left all I could think about was that sad little boy, left all alone in that room with nothing but his shadow. When I finally found you again, I had no idea we would actually need to work together. Marik you grew up so fast. I would do anything to help you through those years in between. But as fate has it, we met again, and we're here now that's all that matters." As he tells me this, all these emotions come flooding back. From when I met him, when he was gone, when I grew up, killed my father... And even now, when I look at my best friend, my everything, my crush, and find out he was a memory from the past.. A memory I was so fixated on, I didn't notice when it was right in front of me.

"Bakura... I didn't know. I'm sorry I just... missed you so much." I choke out. My heart aches and I just want to shatter. He then hugs me, keeping me together. Holding me up and keeping the promise he gave a long time ago. I close my eyes, but I don't need to go to another place.

The only place I want to be is here, in his arms.

True freedom, is being with him.


End file.
